Surface mount frame with nesting ironing board

• US 5,369,898 A
• Filed: 02/16/1993
• Issued: 12/06/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jake A. Sorensen
• Original Assignee: Jake A. Sorensen
• Inventors: Sorensen, Jake A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crowder, Clifford D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Izaguirre, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US08/018,018
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 38/103, 38/104, 38/137, 38/139, 38/40, 38/DIG. 2, 38/DIG. 3, 108/13, 108/42, 108/48, 312/242, 312/245
• US Class Current: 38/137
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 5/00 Suspended or hinged panels forming a table; Wall tables bed tables A47B23/00; adapted for use in vehicles A47B31/06; in combination with other furniture A47B83/00; arm-rest tables for chairs A47C
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 81/06 attachable to independent supports, e.g. walls

Abstract

An ironing board structure which may be readily mounted on, or integrated into, a variety of vertical surfaces. The entire ironing board structure is preferably not more than one inch thick. An ironing board is cut from a planar sheet of material. The ironing board is pivotally held in the opening left in the planar sheet of material. Advantageously, the ironing board is cut from a single unitary planar sheet of material which will also form a frame for the ironing board. When in its storage position, the ironing board is substantially coplanar with the remaining planar material which forms a frame and takes up very little space. When in its service position, the ironing board is oriented perpendicularly to the frame and the ironing board protrudes out from the frame so that it is usable for its intended function. The structure of the ironing board and the frame allows the structure to be very efficiently and economically fabricated and installed and exhibit strength and rigidity.

Claims

1. An ironing board comprising:

a single and unitary piece of substantially planar material having a thickness;

a frame formed from the piece of substantially planar material;

an opening formed in the frame, the opening having an interior perimeter shape;

an ironing board, the ironing board formed from the single and unitary piece of substantially planar material comprising the frame, the ironing board having a thickness which is substantially the same as the thickness of the frame and the ironing board having a perimeter shape which is substantially the same as the interior perimeter shape of the opening;

means for pivotally moving the ironing board within the opening in the frame between a first position wherein the ironing board is substantially coplanar with the frame and a second position wherein the ironing board is oriented at an angle to the frame and the ironing board protrudes out from a plane formed by the frame; and

means for limiting the pivoting movement of the ironing board at the second position which is not more than substantially perpendicular to the frame, the frame being mountable on a surface and the ironing board moved into its first position when storage of the ironing board is desired and moved into its second position when use of the ironing board is desired.

2. An ironing board as defined in claim 1 wherein the frame and the ironing board are both less than about two inches thick.

3. An ironing board as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for limiting the pivoting movement comprises:

a first slot formed in the ironing board;

a second slot formed in the frame, the first slot and the second slot being arranged colinearly; and

a stop having a first end and a second end, the first end being held at least slidably captive within the first slot and the second end being held at least slidably captive within the second slot, a length of the first slot, the second slot, and a length of the stop being selected so that the pivoting movement of the ironing board is limited to a range of about ninety degrees.

4. An ironing board as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for limiting the pivoting movement of the ironing board comprises:

first means for limiting the pivoting movement of the ironing board; and

second means for limiting the pivoting movement of the ironing board.

5. An ironing board as defined in claim 1 wherein the frame is fabricated from a hardwood material and the ironing board is fabricated from a hardwood material.

6. An ironing board as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for pivotally moving the ironing board in the opening in the frame comprises:

a pair of bores, the opening including two parallel sides, each of the bores provided on one of the two parallel sides of the opening and the bores formed from an interior perimeter of the opening to an exterior perimeter of the frame;

a pair of bores provided on the ironing board, the ironing board including two parallel sides and each of the bores provided on one of the two parallel sides at a proximal end thereof; and

a pivot structure inserted into each of the bores such that the ironing board is pivotally held within the opening.

7. An ironing board as defined in claim 1 wherein the interior perimeter of the opening comprises a six sided shape and the exterior perimeter of the ironing board comprises a substantially similar six sided shape.

8. An ironing board as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for mounting the frame on a substantially vertical surface.

9. A storable table requiring support only from a substantially vertical mounting surface, the table comprising:

a single and unitary piece of substantially planar material having a length, a width, and a thickness;

a frame formed from the single and unitary piece of substantially planar material;

an opening formed in the frame, the opening having an interior perimeter shape;

a planar work surface having a thickness not greater than the frame'"'"'s thickness and of a size and shape such that the work surface films within the opening in the frame, the planar work surface formed from within the length and the width of the single and unitary piece of substantially planar material from which the frame is formed, the planar work surface having a thickness which is substantially the same as the thickness of the frame and the planar work surface having a perimeter shape which is substantially the same as the interior perimeter shape of the opening;

means for pivoting the planar work surface between a first position wherein the planar work surface is substantially coplanar with the frame and a second position wherein the planar work surface extends out from a plane formed by the frame and the vertical mounting surface; and

means for limiting the pivoting movement of the planar work surface to a range which is not substantially greater than ninety degrees, the frame being mountable on the vertical mounting surface and the planar work surface moved into its first position when storage of the planar work surface is desired and moved and held in its second position when use of the planar work surface is desired.

10. A storable table as defined in claim 9 wherein the meats for limiting the pivoting movement comprises:

a first allot formed in the planar work surface;

a second slot formed in the frame, the first slot and the second slot being arranged colinearly; and

a stop having a first end and a second end, the first end of the stop being held at least slidably captive within the first slot and the second end of the stop being held at least slidably captive within the second slot, a length of the first slot, the second slot, and a length of the stop being selected so that the pivoting movement of the ironing board is limited to a range of not substantially more than about 110 degrees.

11. A storable table as defined in claim 9 wherein an interior perimeter shape of the opening and an exterior perimeter shape of the work surface are substantially the same and wherein the frame is fabricated from hardwood material and the work surface is fabricated from the same hardwood material.

12. A storable ironing board which is mountable on a substantially vertical mounting surface, the storable ironing board comprising:

a single and unitary piece of substantially planar material having a length, a width, and a thickness;

a cabinet frame formed from the single and unitary piece of substantially planar material, the cabinet frame having a Length, width, and a thickness which are substantially the same as the length, width, and the thickness, respectively, being not greater than about three inches;

an opening formed in the cabinet frame, the opening having an interior perimeter shape;

an ironing board, the ironing board formed from within the length and width of the single and unitary substantially planar material from which the cabinet frame is formed, the ironing board having a thickness which is substantially the same as the thickness of the frame and the ironing board having a perimeter shape which is substantially the same as the interior perimeter shape of the opening and which fits within the opening, the ironing board having a work surface;

means for pivotally moving the ironing board, the means for pivotally moving being positioned at a proximal end of the ironing board and at one end of the opening in the cabinet frame such that the ironing board moves between a first position wherein the ironing board is substantially coplanar within the cabinet frame and a second position wherein the ironing board is oriented at an angle to the cabinet frame;

a first slot formed in the ironing board;

a second slot formed in the cabinet frame, the first slot and the second slot being arranged colinearly;

a stop having a first end and a second end, the first end being held at least slidably captive within the first slot and the second end being held captive slidably within the second slot, a length of the stop being less than the combined lengths of the first and second slots, the length of the stop, first slot, and second slot being selected so that the pivoting movement of the ironing board is limited to a range of not more than about 110 degrees such that the cabinet frame is mountable on a surface and the ironing board moved into its first position when storage of the ironing board is desired and moved into its second position when use of the ironing board is desired.

13. A storable ironing board as defined in claim 12 wherein the cabinet frame and the ironing board are both fabricated from the same sheet of material, the sheet of material comprising a wood material.

14. A method of manufacturing an ironing board structure which is mountable on a substantially vertical surface so that the ironing board is movable between a storage position and a service position, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a substantially planar member having a length and a width at least slightly greater than a length and a width of a completed ironing board;

forming at least one bore into the edge of the planar member such that the bore extends into an area of the planar member from which the ironing board will be formed;

forming a slot on one surface of the planar member such that the slot is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the at least one bore and such that the slot is formed partially in the area of the planar member from which the ironing board will be formed;

forming a cut along the perimeter shape of the ironing board after the bore and the slot have been formed, said cut being at least a minimum distance from the exterior perimeter of the planar member, the cut allowing the ironing board to be removed from the planar member and leaving an opening in the planar member;

pivotally attaching a proximal end of the ironing board near one end of the opening formed in the planar member using the previously formed bore so that the ironing board will be properly aligned and such that the ironing board is pivotable between the storage position where the ironing board is substantially coplanar with the planar member and the service position where the ironing board is substantially perpendicular to the planar member; and

forming means for supporting the ironing board in the service position using the previously formed slot which is now divided into two segments which are accurately aligned, the means for supporting the ironing board limiting the pivoting movement of the ironing board to a range of less than about 110 degrees between the storage position and the service position and such that the means for supporting is substantially contained within a thickness of the planar member when the ironing board is in its storage position.

15. A method of manufacturing an ironing board as defined in claim 14 further comprising the step of attaching the planar member to a substantially vertical surface.

16. A method of manufacturing an ironing board as defined in claim 14 wherein the planar member has a thickness of not more than about two inches.

17. A method of manufacturing an ironing board as defined in claim 14 wherein the step of forming a slot comprises the step of forming a grooved slot and the step of forming means for supporting the ironing board comprises the step of inserting a stop into the grooved slot.

18. A method of manufacturing an ironing board as defined in claim 14 wherein the step of forming a first cut comprises the step of making a complete enclosed cut in the planar member in the shape of an ironing board.

19. A method of manufacturing an storable work surface structure which is mountable on a substantially vertical surface so that the ironing board is movable between a storage position and a service position, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a substantially planar member having a length and a width at least slightly greater than a length and a width of a completed work surface upon which objects are placable;

forming at least one bore into the edge of the planar member such that the bore extends into the area of the planar member from which the work surface member will be formed;

forming a slot on one surface of the planar member such that the slot is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the at least one bore and such that the slot is formed partially in an area of the planar member from which the work surface member will be formed;

forming a complete cut in the planar member in the shape of the work surface member, said complete cut being at least a first distance from an exterior perimeter of the substantially planar member, the complete cut allowing the work surface member to be removed from the planar member and leaving an opening in the planar member;

pivotally attaching a proximal end of the work surface member near an end of the opening formed in the planar member using the previously formed at least one bore and such that the work surface member is pivotable between the storage position where the work surface member is substantially coplanar with the planar member and the service position where the work surface member is substantially perpendicular to the planar member; and

forming means for supporting the work surface member in the service position using the previously formed slot and such that the work surface member pivots only in a range of less than about 110 degrees between the storage position and the service position and such that the means for supporting is substantially contained within the thickness of the planar member when the work surface member is in its storage position.